Expect the Unexpected: DELETED SCENE: Unexpected Promises
by iceprincess96
Summary: Deleted Scene, cut from original story "Expect the Unexpected" (More info inside). Occurs right after the Winter Solstice- Michael tells Melanie...everything. Be sure to read original story first!


**Hey Guys! SO WOW I was not expecting to be writing to you all this soon! But I was cleaning up my computer and going through some of my files and I found this! **

**So this is a Deleted Scene to ****_Expect the Unexpected_****. (IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE STORY- PLEASE DO SO! I'M SURE YOU'LL ENJOY IT!) **

**It was meant to fall between chapters 25 and 26, but ended up getting cut when I decided to go down a different road with the plot and story line. **

**SO yah! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Jamie, Jack Frost, Pitch Black, and the Guardians belong to DreamWorks**

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Unexpected Promises

Michael walked down the street dejectedly, occasionally glancing at the abnormal sky with nervous apprehension.

"Ok... when are you going to talk to me?" Melanie asked him. She'd picked him up from the park where he, Jamie and the other kids had had an "emergency" meeting. They all knew something was wrong. As if the sky wasn't enough of a give away.

They knew there was trouble, and they knew Pitch was to blame. Michael had never met Pitch like the other kids had. He hadn't fought in the Easter Battle with Jamie. But they'd told him the stories.

"Michael, please, if you know something- tell me! I have no idea where your sister is or if she's even _ok_, and the other night was just so weird and I'm still not convinced you're all right either and we really should be inside before you die of sickness..." Melanie goaded him.

Michael sighed. Even since Lyra had believed in Jack, nothing had been normal. She'd disappeared with him and Pitch had returned. Michael knew Lyra could sometimes be careless and forgetful, but she had always been there for him since their mom had died. Their dad was always traveling, so Lyra had practically raised him. Michael knew she cared too much about him and wouldn't just abandon him by choice- and the moment Pitch had tried to hurt him, hadn't she returned? Hadn't she been right there beside him when he finally woke up from the horrible nightmare?

And she was with Jack- a Guardian. Michael knew his sister was fighting the Nightmare King and saving the universe, the way big sisters were supposed to.

But he worried. All the kids did. The sky was not acting normal. There was no day or night.

Only the kids noticed the sky's strange behavior. No adult could understand what their children were talking about when they pointed above with their tiny fingers. Parents and teens just assumed their children and siblings were gifted with extremely active imaginations.

So yes, Melanie was unaware of the things that were really going on. But she knew there _was _something going on, if only because her best friend was missing without cause.

He sulked alongside Melanie as she talked and talked, as they walked along the snow-covered sidewalk, shuffling his feet as he went.

"It just bothers me Michael, that you don't even seem _remotely _worried about where your sister is- and I'm pretty sure that you actually _do_ know- so tell m_e _what's going on already! Why did we run two nights ago? Who's Pitch, why are you convinced the sky is black and orange or whatever it was, where the heck is your sister, and _who _for heaven's sakeis_ Jack?_ That's all I hear when you and your friends mumble things to each other! _Jack _this, _Jack _that!"

Michael sighed. She was really frustrated now. He knew this was unfair for Melanie- her best friend was gone with no apparent reason and she had to take care of him- it was a wonder no one else had asked too many questions about Lyra's whereabouts.

"Melanie-"

"And I just think I deserve a little more information here, because I'm worried sick over both you and her and I can't even begin to think that-"

"_Melanie!_"

She stopped and blinked at him, momentarily surprised he'd finally started talking to her.

Michael stopped and turned to face her, hands on his hips. "Do you really want to know? _Really_?"

Michael didn't actually want to tell Melanie anything. He couldn't shake the feeling that all this was somehow his fault- he'd helped Jack get Lyra to believe in the Guardians, and then _this mess _happened. What would happen if he told Melanie?

"Yes!" she replied, exasperated.

But he also felt he owed her _something_. And besides, maybe it would get her to stop talking his ear off.

"Ok, but you have to promise to take everything I tell you seriously. Will you promise?"

Melanie stared at him, a little confused. "I promise?" she offered.

Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Ok then, here goes nothing."

...

Michael told Melanie everything- about the Guardians, Pitch, Jack, how Lyra had come to believe in them, and how there was a war going on. Melanie was mostly incredulous at his story, doubting every word that came out of his mouth. When he finished 'explaining', she wanted to laugh and tell him it was a good joke.

But then Melanie saw his face. The fearful, serious, solemn expression he wore. Her heart gave out, and she wondered where he had come up with the fantastical story.

She thought back to the other night, when Michael had laid in bed sick... but was it sickness? Michael said it was a nightmare given to him by the Nightmare King...

And she supposed that Michael's claim that he and Lyra had been talking to a third person- _Jack Frost_- made sense. There had _definitely _seemed to be gaps in their conversation, like she had missed something halfway through.

But could she really believe this? _I mean, come on! Winter spirits? Santa Claus? The Easter Bunny? Yeah right. Lyra is most _definitely_ not at the North Pole, of all places!_ Melanie chided herself. Michael's stories were composed of children's fairytales, the way all kids' stories were. Nothing more, nothing less.

_But I promised him_. She thought. To Melanie- who had no siblings of her own and often thought of Michael as her own little brother- making a promise to a little kid was a big deal. They were young and impressionable, and she knew she had to be a role model for them. If she promised them something, she'd follow through, no exceptions.

But how could she follow through this time around? He was asking her to believe the impossible...

_I promised I'd take him seriously, _she thought. _Stupid idea. And I thought he actually knew something useful_.

She sighed. "Ok Michael, as of this moment I don't believe you at all. There is no way that what you're telling me can even be possible."

He looked down at the ground, disappointed and sad.

"But," Melanie continued, crossing her arms and looking at the young boy, "a promise is a promise. I'll make an effort to believe you, but I want a little more proof."

"Really?" Michael asked, hope in his eyes.

She nodded. "Help me believe in the Guardians like you supposedly helped Lyra, and I'll help you win the war against this Pitch Black guy."

Michael threw his arms around her happily. "Let's go find the others- we have work to do!" He said, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the street back the way they'd come. Melanie tucked a blond strand of hair behind her ear as Michael tugged her along, wondering what she just signed up for.

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**Review if you can/want! And go read the full story if you haven't!**

**Over and Out- iceprincess**


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